http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23551715-details/article.do?i...

'CIA helped draw up dodgy Iraq war dossier for No 10'

Last updated at 23:55pm on 06.09.08

Secret advice from a foreign power, thought to be America, helped to shape the dossier that said Saddam Hussein could attack within 45 minutes and set out the case for war in Iraq.

MI6 chief John Scarlett, then chairman of the Government's Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), turned to the foreign country as final touches were put to the now discredited dossier, it has emerged.

Souce: buzzflash.com

By Peter Phillips
7/20/2008

The United States is directly responsible for over one million Iraqi deaths since the invasion five and half years ago. In a January 2008 report, a British polling group Opinion Research Business (ORB) reports that, "survey work confirms our earlier estimate that over 1,000,000 Iraqi citizens have died as a result of the conflict which started in 2003…. We now estimate that the death toll between March 2003 and August 2007 is likely to have been of the order of 1,033,000. If one takes into account the margin of error associated with survey data of this nature then the estimated range is between 946,000 and 1,120,000".

McGovern: "The game is over with Iraq and so the question is how does this strategic change affect the real players in the area. The Israeli right wants a confrontation with Iran to keep US forces in the region. The US military leadership is against a "third front" but has to contend with Cheney.

http://www.consortiumnews.com/Print/2008/071208a.html

Kucinich Pushes on Impeachment

By Jason Leopold
July 12, 2008

Congress has plenty of evidence that George W. Bush deserves impeachment for misleading the nation into war in Iraq, authorizing torture and other grave crimes, and violating the Constitution – and it is now time to act, says Rep. Dennis Kucinich.

“How many more hearings do we need to have to prove this administration has violated the Constitution, taken the law into its own hands, and condoned torture?” asked Kucinich, D-Ohio, author of some three dozen articles of impeachment.

“These articles of impeachment are about accountability,” Kucinich said in an interview. “I think our country is at risk. We’re setting a terrible precedent for future administrations if we choose to turn a blind eye to the crimes committed by this administration.

“We need to send a message to the next President that if he conducts himself in a similar capacity it would be met with a response from the Congress that you are going to be held to account. … There is a point at which you reduce Congress to a debating society.”

http://meetthetruthers.com

8th Estate Public Media and Research presents:

"A Film To End All Wars!" (Volume One)

www.8thestate.com

"This film is Part 1 in a series. Composed to raise awareness and support for our First Responders, Soldiers, and other Heroes currently suffering...dying to get your attention."

Download:

http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/1529053/ (torrent)

http://renaissance.libsyn.com (mp4 download)

THIS FILM IS NOT FOR SALE, this was provided to you at our own expense, because if you could afford this information, you'd already have it. Right? A Film To End All Wars exposes the true root causes behind the business of war, which will continue until We the People decide to inform ourselves, to think critically, and to take action by voting with our dollars.

www.8thestate.com | www.meria.net | www.divergentfilms.com

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After screening VOLUME ONE of "A Film to End All Wars", everyone asks:

"WHAT CAN I DO?"

Great article other than he neglected to mention the 1.2 million plus dead Iraqis in the first sentence and, of course, the 3,000+ 9/11 victims and all the sick and dying 9/11 first responders, Big Oil and empire's initial collateral damage. -- Betsy

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/21930919.html

Big Oil pockets Iraq
All's fair in business and war.

Derrick Z. Jackson
writes for the Boston Globe

It took five years, the deaths of 4,100 U.S. soldiers, and the wounding of 30,000 more to make Iraq safe for Exxon.

It is the inescapable open question since the reasons given by President Bush for the invasion and occupation did not exist - neither the weapons of mass destruction nor Saddam Hussein's ties to al-Qaeda and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article20103.htm

"And miracle of all miracles, the mainstream media is finally writing about the bases as if they mattered. Someday, before this is over, all of us may actually see what was built in our names with our dollars. That will be a shock, especially when you consider what the Bush administration has proved incapable of building, or rebuilding, in New Orleans and elsewhere in this country." Bastards. Lying bastards. Pure and simple. -- Betsy

The Greatest Story Never Told
Finally, the U.S. Mega-Bases in Iraq Make the News

By Tom Engelhardt

This 9/11 video from a 9/11 soldier's view-point should impress patriots that the pursuit of truth has always been a matter of life and death to our troops.

http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10218150.html

New agreement lets US strike any country from inside Iraq

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/06/03/10218150.html

06/04/2008 08:13 PM | By Basil Adas, Correspondent

Baghdad: A proposed Iraqi-American security agreement will include permanent American bases in the country, and the right for the United States to strike, from within Iraqi territory, any country it considers a threat to its national security, Gulf News has learned.

Senior Iraqi military sources have told Gulf News that the long-term controversial agreement is likely to include three major items.

Under the agreement, Iraqi security institutions such as Defence, Interior and National Security ministries, as well as armament contracts, will be under American supervision for ten years.

The agreement is also likely to give American forces permanent military bases in the country, as well as the right to move against any country considered to be a threat against world stability or acting against Iraqi or American interests.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/revealed-secret-plan...

Revealed: Secret Plan To keep Iraq Under US Control

Bush wants 50 military bases, control of Iraqi airspace and legal immunity for all American soldiers and contractors

By Patrick Cockburn

05/06/08 "The Independent" --- A secret deal being negotiated in Baghdad would perpetuate the American military occupation of Iraq indefinitely, regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election in November.

The terms of the impending deal, details of which have been leaked to The Independent, are likely to have an explosive political effect in Iraq. Iraqi officials fear that the accord, under which US troops would occupy permanent bases, conduct military operations, arrest Iraqis and enjoy immunity from Iraqi law, will destabilise Iraq's position in the Middle East and lay the basis for unending conflict in their country.

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/060308b.html

consortiumnews.com

Australia Bolts Iraq Over Bush's Lies

By Ray McGovern
June 3, 2008

Editor’s Note: Even into the sixth year of war in Iraq – even as ex-White House press secretary Scott McClellan admits the deceptions used to justify the invasion – the U.S. news media still averts its eyes from the full ugliness of what happened in 2002-03.

In this story, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern notes the far greater candor occurring in Australia -- and cites the earlier whistle-blowing by members of the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS), which he helped found:

Matilda is walzing home from Iraq, and the Australians are lucky but chastened.

Lucky for having lost not one soldier in combat of the 2,000 sent to join the “coalition of the willing” attack on Iraq in March 2003.

Chastened because Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is now pulling no punches in decrying the subservience of his predecessor, John Howard, to Washington.

(I absolutely believe it is better late than never. Yes, McClellan should have stood up sooner, but at least he's the first to so publicly come out now, and not hide behind coded, read-between-the-lines comments of past Bush White House insiders . . . It's not an insignificant gesture . . . Many others had the opportunity, like Colin Powell, but they were cowardly, fearful or had misplaced loyalty and did not stand up . . . As far as the media's concerned, of course we all know the pressure came from the top on down. If we had a truly free press, we would not be where we are today. Betsy)

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2008/053108a.html

McClellan and the Media 'Enablers'

By Jeff Cohen
May 31, 2008

Editor’s Note: Scott McClellan’s new book may be welcome in that it corroborates many claims from George W. Bush’s critics. But it’s still galling that so many prominent journalists who bowed before Bush’s bullying in 2002-03 have only seen their careers flourish.
In this guest essay, media critic Jeff Cohen revisits the journalistic cowardice before the Iraq invasion even though many media stars would prefer Americans not remember:

British journalist (and official theory 9/11 defender) George Monbiot tried to serve a citizens arrest on John Bolton at the Hay Festival in Wales for war crimes where he was promoting his book "Surrender is not an option".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7424785.stm

This story (and Scott McClellan's book) should make our jobs a little easier . . . I wonder how many Americans will still believe that McClellan et al. didn't REALLY know what was going down in the White House?

McClellan's fooling himself (as) much the same way as Bush does (believes his own spin and propaganda) if he wants the reader to believe that "he and his subordinates were not 'employing out-and-out deception' to make their case for war in 2002".

Plausible denial, willful ignorance . . . (At least this book is a step in the right direction.)

The GWBush Administration will be remembered in history as a particular time when integrity and character were MIA in the extreme (and perhaps this will help reveal the truth behind 9/11) . . . . As one bumper sticker reads, "At least Nixon had the decency to resign."

Will anyone connected to the GWBush White House ever stand up and do the right thing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MInBl9ZB37Y&feature=related(Dave Matthews Band w/ Robert Randolph "Stand Up"

Betsy

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19977.htm

War Abroad and Poverty at Home

By Paul Craig Roberts

23/05/08 "ICH" -- - The US Senate has voted $165 billion to fund Bush’s wars of aggression against Afghanistan and Iraq through next spring.

As the US is broke and deep in debt, every one of the $165 billion dollars will have to be borrowed. American consumers are also broke and deep in debt. Their zero saving rate means every one of the $165 billion dollars will have to be borrowed from foreigners.

The “world’s only superpower” is so broke it can’t even finance its own wars.

Each additional dollar that the irresponsible Bush Regime has to solicit from foreigners puts more downward pressure on the dollar’s value. During the eight wasted and extravagant years of the Bush Regime, the once mighty US dollar has lost about 60% of its value against the euro.

The dollar has lost even more of its value against gold and oil.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_con...

(Nothing the White House has done in the past eight years has been by accident . . . . Is the general public beginning to understand just how much we've been manipulated and lied to? It's been a psychological operation from start to finish. Actually, it's on-going, but maybe in their arrogance, pushing for war in Iran might be their slip-up with the American people whose eyes are slowly opening . . . but how will the Fourth Estate shake their corporate control? Will people demand "truth" loud enough? This seems to be the way the wind is blowing . . . Betsy)

New Study Calls 'Embed' Program for U.S. Media in Iraq a 'Victory' -- for the Pentagon

By Greg Mitchell

Published: May 14, 2008 7:45 PM ET

http://wearechange.org.uk/

Members of We Are Change UK, along with Matt from We Are Change New York, went to ask Sir Richard Dearlove a few questions about allegations of him being a war criminal.

Mr Dearlove was instrumental in helping take the UK into the illegal war with Iraq and was quoted as saying the facts were being fixed around the policy of regime change in Iraq.

For more info please see:

http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/

For immediate release: May 1, 2008: The International Longshore and Warehouse Union

Longshore workers are standing down at West Coast ports:

“We’re standing up for America, we’re supporting the troops, and
we’re telling politicians that it’s time to end the Iraq war now!”

(SAN FRANCISCO, CA) More than 25,000 longshore workers at 29 west coast
ports are exercising their First Amendment rights today by taking a day off work
and calling for an end to the war in Iraq.

This is a letter I just received from Congressman Robert Wexler. I think he really could use our help.

What Would You Ask Petraeus?

Dear Eloy,

As President Bush stubbornly refuses to change course in Iraq, it grows increasingly frustrating for those of us who have been loudly demanding a withdrawal. I know you share my frustration. Every day, I receive letters and emails from patriotic Americans who want to - somehow – personally contribute to a solution.

Now it is your turn.

Next week, General Petraeus – the architect of the failed surge policy and our chief military leader in Iraq - will be testifying before the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

For too long the Bush Administration has been in a bubble – hiding from the truth and avoiding tough questions from outraged American citizens. This time I am turning the oversight powers of Congress over to you.

I want you to be the ones asking the questions to General Petraus.

Write me back with a short reply and tell me what - specifically - you would like me to ask. Please include your first name as well as your city and state.

As we all know, one of the major hurdles in waking people up is the denial of what governments and individuals are capable of doing and justifying. "They would never kill our own people" or "that is too monstrous an idea to consider".

I would like to point to a few documentaries that might open some eyes.

Fallujah - The Hidden Massacre (warning shocking footage) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8905191678365185391

The Panama Deception http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-446387292666223710&q=panama+dec...

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5832390545689805144&q=revolution...

The Ground Truth http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5188599301918606321&q=The+Groun...

While not dealing with 9/11 specifically, they do show indiscriminate killing and carnage that is the modus operandi of all empires.

Source: mediainfo.com

By E&P Staff
Published: March 23, 2008 11:10 AM ET

NEW YORK Five years ago today, as the U.S invasion of Iraq continued in its early stages, E&P published an article by Ari Berman, then an intern here, that examined the public attitudes on the eve of the war. He probed polls that found, on the most basic point, that roughly 2 out of 3 Americans backed an assault on Iraq.

But the attitudes driving those numbers raised serious issues about a misinformed public and the media's role. He found that a startlingly high percentage falsely believed that Saddam helped plan the 9/11 attacks or Iraqi hijackers were involved that day, and that Iraqi WMD had already been found.

An excerpt is reprinted below.

Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson was in town on Wednesday, and Garko and I from WeAreChangeLA got a chance to listen to an interesting conversation and ask him about 9-11. Ian Masters, the moderator, defensively jumped the gun on my question about 9-11. Wilkerson dodged the question on whether he supports a genuine investigation of 911. What he did give was an insightful perspective on the "totally useless" intelligence community. I still think that he is harboring serious anger at Cheney and serious resentment at the intelligence community. I want to know what he knows and thinks about 9-11.

He started out, after saying that it was total news to him that all these CIA vets had questioned the 9-11 Commission, by stating that "the 9-11 Commission's findings have a number of imperfections..." He then went on to describe the uselessness of the hi-tech intelligence apparatus. I agree with him on much of his statement, but he spun away from answering the yes or no new investigation question fairly skillfully.

This was on Canadian national television last night March 19, 2008.

The Lies that Led to War
http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/lies/video.html
aired on March 19, 2008

Since the US-led invasion four years ago, the fifth estate has covered Iraq and the war on terror from virtually every angle--the military, media, intellligence, politics--revealing aspects of the story that you didn't find anywhere else.

Now, as the White House warns about the latest threat in the region, this time from Iran, we go back to examine the deception, suspect intelligence, even lies that convinced the world of the rightness of targeting Saddam Hussein.

Click Here (24.3MB .mp3)

In 2004, Robert Greenwald made a movie entitled, "Uncovered: The Whole Truth About The Iraq War". In it, there are such notables as Karen Kwiatkowski, Scott Ritter, Ray McGovern, and many others. I'm assuming around that time (because I don't know the exact date of this debate), Charlie Rose had CIA Analyst of 27 years Ray McGovern, and Former CIA Director James Woolsey on his TV show to discuss the arguments made in the film. You can watch the debate here, however, the voices lose sync with the mouths, and it becomes annoying (hence the reason I recorded it). This definitely appears to have taken place before the famous "Downing Street Memos", and John Conyers' hearings (copy & paste the URL and open it in RealPlayer).

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/14/AR200803...

A Crude Case For War?

By Steven Mufson
Sunday, March 16, 2008; B01

It's hard to miss the point of the "Blood for Oil" Web site. It features one poster of an American flag with "Blood for oil?" in white block letters where the stars should be and two dripping red handprints across the stripes. Another shows a photo of President Bush with a thin black line on his upper lip. "Got oil?" the headline asks wryly.

Five years after the United States invaded Iraq, plenty of people believe that the war was waged chiefly to secure U.S. petroleum supplies and to make Iraq safe -- and lucrative -- for the U.S. oil industry.

In building Iraq, I don't like the prices that we're paying..
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America has been in Iraq for five years - longer than it spent in either World War #1 or #2.

Daily military operations (not counting, for example, future care of wounded) have already cost more than 12 years in Vietnam, and twice as much as the Korean war.

America is spending $16bn a month on running costs alone (ie on top of the regular expenses of the Department of Defence) in Iraq and Afghanistan; that is the entire annual budget of the UN.
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In building Iraq, I don't like the prices that we're paying..
To Ask These Questions, Just Fill In The (Blanks)...

Source: https://www.wexlerforcongress.com/multimedia.asp

I recently received this very inspiring update from Congressman Robert Wexler's office.

This is a response to an AP article today:
"Retired general censured in Tillman case"

AP Article: "It's a perfect storm of mistakes, misjudgments and a failure of leadership," said Geren in announcing his decision after an investigation into the death of the former pro football player.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070731/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/tillman_friendly_fire

Aha - mistakes. Sort of like the "mistakes" of NORAD on 9/11? Maybe like the Secret Service breaking protocol in a Florida classroom? Let us not forget that Pat Tillman recieved 3 shots to the head in "close proximity." From an "M16... 10 yards away"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/26/AR200707...
10 Yards. That's one first down marker on a football field. A short pass. Keep that in mind. Incompetence is always the first scapegoat they bring out to cover intent.

"No evidence at all of enemy fire was found at the scene _ no one was hit by enemy fire, nor was any government equipment struck."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/26/AR200707...